"In coorse, I remember him well enough; but I reckon our Marian do a leetle better. He tried to spark the gurl, an' made fine speeches to her; but she couldn't bar the sight o' him for all that. Ha! ha! ha. Don't ye recollex the trick that ar minx played on him? She unbuckled the girt o' his saddle, jest as he wur a-goin' to mount, and down he kim--saddle, bags, and all--cawollup to the airth! ha! ha! Arter he wur gone, I larfed till I wur like to bust." "You did wrong, Hickman Holt, to encourage your daughter in her sauciness. Had you known the man--_that man, sir, was a prophet_!" "A prophet!" "Yes--the greatest perhaps the world ever saw--a man in direct communication with the Almighty himself." "Lord! 'Twan't Joe Smith, wur it?" "No; but one as great as he--one who has inherited his spirit; and who is now the head of all the Saints." "That feller at thur head? You 'stonish me, Josh Stebbins." "Ah! well you may be astonished. That man has astonished me, Hickman Holt. He has turned me from evil ways, and led me to fear the Lord." The squatter looked incredulous, but remained silent. "Yes--that same man who was here with me in your humble cabin, is now Chief Priest of the Mormon Church! He has laid his hands on this poor head, and constituted me one of his humble Apostles. Yes, one of the _Twelve_, intrusted with spreading the true faith of the Saints over all the world." "Hooraw for you, Josh Stebbins! You'll be jest the man for that sort o' thing; ye've got the larnin' for it, hain't you?" "No doubt, Brother Holt, with the help of the Lord, my humble acquirements will be useful; for though _He_ only can open for us poor sinners the kingdom of grace, he suffers such weak instruments, as myself, to point out the narrow path that leads to it. Just as with the Philistines of old, the hearts of the Gentiles are hardened like flint-stones, and refuse to receive the true faith. Unlike the followers of Mohammed, _we_ propagate not by the sword, but by the influence of ratiocination." "What?" "Ratiocination." "What mout that be?" "Reason--reason." "Oh! common sense you mean, I s'pose?" "Exactly so--reasoning that produces conviction; and, I flatter myself, that, being gifted with some little sense and skill, my efforts may be crowned with success." "Wal, Josh, 'ithout talkin' o' common sense, ye've good grist o' lawyers' sense--that I know; an' so, I suppose, ye've tuk it into your head to make beginnin' on me. Aint that why ye've come over this mornin'?" "What?" "To make a Mormon o' me."